I know all you compter geeks out there knows about Ubuntu Linux and how the OS runs better than Windows and is not suject to nearly as many holes, crashes, or malware attacks, plus it's not nearly anywhere as bloated as Windows. But I've been afraid to use it because I didn't want to mess up my computer trying to do a dual-boot partition.

But with Ubuntu 10.4, it can be installed as a separate program in Windows 7, Vista, and XP. I installed it in Windows, and after installation it reboots as a dual OS, so you can choose Windows or Ubuntu Linux on startup. Onbe thing I did notice was that Ubuntu took a lot longer to boot up on start then Windows 7, but then again I believe its because Ubuntu is running on Windows and not a completely separate partitioned OS.

So far I've just fiddled with finding files on my computer, playing the open-source movie and music players, and running Firefox. Maybe some of you geeks can tell me what's really awesome about Ubuntu.

I use Mint Linux which is a off-shoot of Ubuntu.

I use it to run on older machines. Once you put on Windows XP, you need Anti-virus, Anti-Malware, and a Firewall. By the time you have all of that installed, you're using a ton of the system resources just for those defenses. With Mint Linux, you're up, you're running the Web and Open Office no problem.

I've been runing 10.4 on my netbook. Love it. I've also used Mint and like it, as well. Linux WTF!

With respect to startup time, it boots really fast on the netbook. I've never done the dual boot thing, so you might be right about that slowing it down.

I don't think ubuntu is that much more awesome than, say, OS X, but I really like the fact that it is open source. Vulnerabilities are identified and fixed very rapidly, it's totally free and it is well supported, either through the Ubuntu forum or through Canonical.

[Edited 8/28/10 11:34am]

You must mean FTW

I don't think the start up time being longer on Linux than on Windows has necessarily anything to do with a dual boot system. That's just what Unix has always been like.

I don't really use Linux anymore. Maybe one day I'll get back to it again, but I don't see the problems the platform still had about 10 years ago having been addressed in a sufficient manner. I'll just get much more done when I'm using Windows.

novabrkr said:

You must mean FTW

i'm totally dyslexic

I feel limited w/ Linux stuff, plus I'm so frustrated when it comes to finding programs that I can really use, or install. I don't do command lines, so don't give me that "it's easy, just type -b {s32=+135h_) or whatever. It means zip to me, and I'm not an idiot. I just can't click with it.

However, having said all that, I've had good and bad moments w/ this stuff. I've used Ubuntu, Xubutnu, and Kubuntu before. Last year I tried out Mint, and it wasn't bad.

I really wish it was more versatile - I'd probably ditch Windows (I still use Xp Pro - I just refuse to get into Vista or 7 - too much fluff) for good and use Linux. I don't like feeling limited or shut out when it comes to using my computer and what I can or can't use because it's simply not made for Linux (whatever "that" might be).

Also, Open Office stuff doesn't seem to translate well when people attempt to open it in MS Office, or vice versa.

I have a dualboot sytem with Windows 7 and Ubuntu 10.4.

I use Ubuntu as my primary OS. Google Chrome for my browser with a shitload of awesome extensions.

I have a bunch of great Linux programs for all kinds of things. If you want to know about any specific tool, let me know. You can even run a bunch of great Windows programs using WINE.

For example, currently the Linux preview version of Spotify is premium only (for paying members). But the Windows version works perfectly in WINE.

I use Docky for my application dock. I like to have my app shortcuts on a dock at the bottom of the screen. Then everything else is on the top panel.

Here's my desktop right now.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6833/screenshotrtn.png

I really got into Linux last year, through hacking my Google Android phone, learning the file system of Linux and some terminal commands.

So when I began to have issues with Windows on my laptop, I decided to try Ubuntu and I haven't looked back. I love it

also, I've put Mint Linux on my laptop at work. I can remote desktop any server, VNC any workstation. I have a Vista Sp2 workstation setup on a VM server, so I just remote desktop that and do all of my MS Office and completely work related functions on there. Then I can take my laptop home and do my "fun" stuff (prince.org, politics, games, porn, etc.) If I kill my laptop or decide to switch from Mint to another Operating System, I'm good to go.

By keeping it real simple, I'm able to quickly upgrade my system, or recover. All of my extra files (photos, music, video) are on an old PC with a huge hard drive that doesn't access the internet. That hard drive is backed up on an external drive. We're talking real cheap stuff here too.

I am a super geek who has been running Windows at home since 1995 and I have never had one major problem. Buy a REAL computer (not a preassembled deep discount model) with enough resources for what you like to do and properly maintain your software/hardware. That's always worked just fine for me. McAffee is free for Comcast users (cnet has a ton of other free protection, scanning and cleaning products), Firefox is free for everyone. My PC is happy. People having virus and crashing problems has always been a mystery for me. I think it has much more to do with how you use your PC than what OS you're running.

Cerebus said:

I am a super geek who has been running Windows at home since 1995 and I have never had one major problem. Buy a REAL computer (not a preassembled deep discount model) with enough resources for what you like to do and properly maintain your software/hardware. That's always worked just fine for me. McAffee is free for Comcast users (cnet has a ton of other free protection, scanning and cleaning products), Firefox is free for everyone. My PC is happy. People having virus and crashing problems has always been a mystery for me. I think it has much more to do with how you use your PC than what OS you're running.

I'm absolutely the same. I've been exclusively Windows since Windows 95. I stayed with XP through the Vista area with no problems at all and was super excited for Windows 7. But I keep getting BSOD's on my laptop with it, and try as I might I've been unable to locate the reason why. I've posted on all the hardcore Windows forums with all the experts, and so far nada.

Hence why I'm using Ubuntu right now. I do the exact same functions on it as on Windows 7, and no crashes or anything.

I was convinced it was a hardware problem before I started using Ubuntu. But if it WAS hardware, I'd be having issues with Ubuntu also and I'm not.

I do plan to wipe and reinstall Windows 7 at some point. I've exhausted every other option.

Militant said:

Cerebus said:

I am a super geek who has been running Windows at home since 1995 and I have never had one major problem. Buy a REAL computer (not a preassembled deep discount model) with enough resources for what you like to do and properly maintain your software/hardware. That's always worked just fine for me. McAffee is free for Comcast users (cnet has a ton of other free protection, scanning and cleaning products), Firefox is free for everyone. My PC is happy. People having virus and crashing problems has always been a mystery for me. I think it has much more to do with how you use your PC than what OS you're running.

I'm absolutely the same. I've been exclusively Windows since Windows 95. I stayed with XP through the Vista area with no problems at all and was super excited for Windows 7. But I keep getting BSOD's on my laptop with it, and try as I might I've been unable to locate the reason why. I've posted on all the hardcore Windows forums with all the experts, and so far nada.

Hence why I'm using Ubuntu right now. I do the exact same functions on it as on Windows 7, and no crashes or anything.

I was convinced it was a hardware problem before I started using Ubuntu. But if it WAS hardware, I'd be having issues with Ubuntu also and I'm not.

I do plan to wipe and reinstall Windows 7 at some point. I've exhausted every other option.

I'd be interested to know what happens if/when you do the wipe and reload. I've stuck with XP, too, but I'm about to make the jump to W7.

[Edited 8/30/10 10:58am]